Sixteen-year-old Raymond Ayala’s dreams of baseball stardom were cut short when a stray bullet plunged into his leg. But the native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, would ultimately find fame spitting out rhymes instead of chewing tobacco as Daddy Yankee. The “King of Reggaeton” — that blending of reggae, dancehall, hip-hop and Latin American rhythms — has just released El Cartel: The Big Boss. Singles “Ella Me Levantó” and “Impacto” (his collaboration with Fergie) are burning up radio charts and club dance floors. It’s also more hip-hop flava’d than much of his previous work, even if the Tony Montana/drug running imagery is a bit dated. But if any artist of the genre is big enough to play the Toyota Center, it’s the creator of “Gasolina.” Just don’t let Don Omar know that.

Sun., Sept. 23, 7 p.m., 2007

This article appears in Sep 20-26, 2007.

Bob Ruggiero has been writing about music, books, visual arts and entertainment for the Houston Press since 1997, with an emphasis on Classic Rock. He used to have an incredible and luxurious mullet in...